Air-cushion device



&

M. PETTERSON.

AIR CUSHION DEVICE.

APPLICATION HLED JAN. 3, I920.

Patented Nov. 23, 1920. Fz'y. 1

2 SHEETS-SHEET a.

Inven for MaynmREZerfOn hiadflarneys M. PETTERSON.

A IR CUSHION DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN- 3. 1920.

1,359,838. Patented Nov. 23, 1920.

2 SHEETS$HEET 2- 'MAGNUS-PETTERSON, or Lone BEACH, CALIFORNIA.

Afa-cUsHroN DEVICE. A

T0 all whom itmay concern. v Be it known. that I, MAeNUs- PETTERSON, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Long Beachin the county of Los Angeles and State of California,'have invented new and useful Improvements in Air Cushion Devices, of Whichthe following is a specification. V

This invention relates to a resilientair cushion adapted for use in supporting the body of a vehicle upon the axles and for replacing the ordinary metallic springs.

As illustrated herein, the device is applied to an automobile and is interposed Metallic normal position, which rebound causes shocks. For this reason, it is common practice to equip automobiles-Withshock absorbersto lessen the recoil or rebound. It is an object of my invention to provide an air cushion Which will absorball vibration and will not cause a shock. It is another object of this invention to provide an air cushion of thetype described Whichvvill support any device subject to. vibration shocks, which is easily assembled and disassembled. and Will not leak air.

These objects will be more fully understood, as will also other 'objects'a'nd corresponding-accomplishments of my invention, from the following detailed descri'ption'ofa preferred embodimentthereof; .For'tlie'p'ur pose of this 1 description, reference is had to 1 the accompanying drawing, intvhi'c'h:

Figure 1 is a side-elevation of an auto- -mobileequippedwith my air springs Fig. 2 .-is an enlarged front elevation of the iziiito- -m0bile shown in Fig. ,1'; ;;Fig. 3is a frag- -=mentary section Qf the absorber showing the details of the means for attaching it {to the air tank; Fig. 3 is almo'difie'd form of attaching the absorberto the air tank: 4 1s asectlon as seen on theline l4 ofFig.

5; Fig. 5 is an enlarged side elevation of the a r sprlngadgacent the rear axle. a part' '.be ng SllOWIl lIl section; and F126 is aplan vlew as seen on theline 6 6 offFiq. 5.

Referring more partlcularly to Fig. .1; an

. automobile body A is, suppored upon the axles by .means of air springs indicated generally byB, As shown there are two air springs adjacent the rear axle 'on 'one Efor registration with the bolt hole'sfi tank 'is place -over"theabsorbe'1,

Bolts 22 are placed in the registering fjbolt' holes "with resilicnt 'tv'ash'ers23 placed betiveen the clamp .7

rings and the bolt: heads'so as to prevent 1 side, and a single. air spring'adjacentnthe front agile on' onesidef This construction s duplicated upon the "other'side of the Specification of Letters.Patent. P t td No 23,1920, Application filed January 3, 1920. Serial No. 349,187. I

vehicle. However, 'I do not limitmys'elf'to e this exact distribution of 'air'springs.

"Referring more'spe'cific'ally to tl'1'e;dra'iv. mg, 7 indicates the front axleot the a'utomobile'and 8 the rear axle. Extending 10n- 'gitudlnally-of the automobile on both sides thereof and beneath theaxlesfare angle bars 9. Each angle bar is'secured toth'e front, axle'by a strap bolt 10 and to the rearaxtle by a strap bolt '11. Mou'nted'upon the angle bars 9'forW-ard of the front 'a learedeform ers of mushroom shape indicated b'yff12.

,The deformers haverounded ioiialfheajdsr Resting upon the deformers are absorbers l3 connected to tanks 14 disposediatjthe sides of theautomobile frame. ,On'ea'chfangle bar warren ra es A T'Y F Q to the front and rear of "the aXle'B, are

mounted deformers 1 51 and "116] of the same shape as deformer 12. Restingupon "deformers 15 and 16 are absorbers 1mm '18 p connectedto a single air't'an'k 19; there being a tank on eachside of theautomobilefor each .pair'of rear air'spring's.

The'tanks maybe of any shape suit'gilgile to the "automobile andfare preferablyformed ofinetal with the flat's'ide's braced by angle bars, I bars fchannels, or the like to prevent bulging. I In 4 and 5 "such elements of elastieinaterial suchasrubbi', whichare'i-ndicated b37120.

Heferringto theipreferrd' form 'ofcl'aiiipthe I'absorber ".to the tank asfsho vnfin Fig. 3.1 "clamp ringQjQ'l Havingbolt jhtiles q entir edge the opening.

the

'absorber,casing 24,, which be offt'he Tsame fabric as 'a t1re'casing,1s jtheu placed onpthe outside of the tankfivfth the edge for thetol s 22 retain ng ring of ansrle ithe're'of overlapping the edge fof th'efo fingx, The casing isprovidetl with 'opcnzngs forimin'dicated 153 25. and liaving'boltopenings'is placed Voverfthe lappejdiedgelof the as to provide a tight fit. Nuts 26 are then placed over the retaining ring and upon the bolt and the Whole tightened, thereby providing a non-leak connection. The airentrapped in the tank by its elasticity provides a cushion, and to provide for chargin the tanks air valves maybe used.

l/Vith the construction shown in Fig. 3, a clamp ring 27 having threaded recesses which do not extend through the ring is substituted for the bolt and clamp ring shown in Fig. 3. A threaded screw 28 is engaged with the threads in ring 27, and nut 26 placed upon the screw in the same manner as the construction shown in Fig. 3. This provides a non-leak joint between the absorber lining member 20 and the tank.

To assemble the tank and absorber elements of the type shown in Fig. 3, the absorber lining 20 is placed in position with the oval rin 21 resting thereon and the bolts extending therethrough. The oval clamp ring can be easily inserted and removed through the oval opening in the manner of a manhole cover for boilers. The casingv is then placed in position with the retaining ring over the casing and the nuts placed in position on the bolts. The manner of disassembling the structure is the re verse of assembling it. I

It will be noted that the absorber lining does not extend farther than to overlap the edge of the opening in the tank, it being open and in communication with the interior of the tank. The mushroom shaped deformers permit the absorbers to bend over the sides thereof without cramping the absorber lining. This avoids chafing and early destruction of the absorber lining.

In order to stabilize the body of the car, angle pieces 29 are secured to the cornersof the frame and extend therefrom. Referring to Fig. 1, a standard 30 is secured to the middle of the angle bar 9, and tie rods 31 are pivotally secured thereto The other endsof the tie rods are mounted in the angle pieces 29, slidably extending therethrough. Adj ustably mounted upon the tie ,rods are nuts 32 and interposed between them and the angle pieces are resilient ..buffer washers 38. This construction permits an up and down movement of the body with respect to the axles, but prevents forward or backward movement. This construction is duplicated on the other side of the automobile. I

I Referring to Fig. 2, a similar stabilizer is shown to prevent side movement. A standard 34 is mounted upon the front axle, 7 These slidably extendthroughthe angle pieces 29 and have buffer washers 36 thereon. To

an elastic absorber member having an edge complete the stabilized construction, a simi- I lar set of tie rods may be mounted between the frame and rear axle. It is obvious that the stabilizer firmly secures the body to the axles against side, front, and rear. move ment, but permits up and down movement and operation of the air springs.

What I claim is: I

1. An air cushion comprising a rigid reservoir for air having an oval opening therein,

an elastic absorber member having an. edge overlapping the inner edge ofsaid opening, an oval clamp ring resting on the overlapped edge of said absorber member, an absorber casing overlapping the outside edge of said opening, and means extending through said overlapped edges and ring to secure them together.

2. An air cushion comprising a rigid reser voir for air having an oval opening therein,

overlapping the inner edge of said opening, an oval clamp ring resting on the overlapped edge of said absorber member, an absorber casing overlapping the outside edge of said opening, an oval retaining ring overlying the overlapped edge of said casing, and bolts extending through said overlapped edges, clamp and retaining rings to secure them together.

3. An air cushion comprising a rigid re'servoir for air having an ovalopening therein, an elastic absorber member havingan edge overlapping the inner edge of saidopening, an oval clamp ring resting on the overlapped I edge of said absorber member, an absorber casing overlapping the outside edge of said opening, means extending through saidoverlapped edges and clamp ring to secure them togethenand an oval deformer in contact with said absorber.

4. An air cushion comprising a rigid reservoir for air having an oval opening therein, an elastic absorber member having an edge overlapping the inneredge of said opening,

an oval clamp ring resting on the overlapped edge of said absorber member,an absorber casing overlapping the outside edge of said opening, an oval retaining ring overlying the overlapped portion of said casing, bolts exclamp ring, and retaining ring to secure them together, and an oval deformer in contact with said absorber. I I

5. An air cushion comprising a rigid resertending through said' overlapped edges,

voir for air having an oval opening therein,

an elastic absorber memberjhaving an edge overlapping the inner edge of said opening, an oval clamp ring resting on the overlapped edge of'said absorber member, an absorber casing overlapping the outside edge of said opening, means extending through said overlapped edges and clamp ring to secure them together, and an oval mushroom deformer in contact with said absorber. I

r 6. An air cushion comprising a rigid reservoir for air having an oval opening therein, an elastic absorber member having an edge overlapping the inner edge of said opening, an oval clamp ring resting on the overlapped edge of said absorber member, an absorber casing overlapping the outside edge of said opening, an oval retaining ring overlying'the overlapped portion of said casing, bolts extending through said overlapped, edges, clamp ring, and retaining ring 'to secure them together, and an oval mushroomdeformer in contact With said absorber.

' In Witness that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto subscribed my name this 24th day of December, 1919.

MAGNUS PETTERSON. 

